By James M. Dorsey
It didn't take long for it to emerge that Iranian President Hassan Rouhani shared an understanding of soccer's political utility with his predecessor, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who's militant and conservative policies he hopes to reverse.
Like Mr. Ahmadinejad, Mr Rouhani, a cleric, is seeking to identify himself with the success of his country's national team that is delivering one of its best performance in this month's World Cup in Brazil. Mr. Rouhani, who is negotiating with the United States and its fellow permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and Germany an end to the Iranian nuclear crisis and with Washington possible coordination of efforts to stymie the jihadist advance in Iraq, could however succeed where Mr. Ahmadinejad failed.
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